I like that edit a lot better, actually.
Anyway, just to answer a few questions here:

What I'm trying to get it at is that you're accusing him of bad anti-aliasing when as far as I can tell he was specifically avoiding it. Not every sprite needs AA, especially when you consider that this is for Picture Wars, in which it's important to use a simpler style to keep everything easier to manage. What I'm saying is you're accusing somebody of being a poor runner when they're jogging. Of course they're going to be slower.


You might not associate it that way, but I do, and I'm sure there are others that do, too. I like his sprite for the fact that it looks like the balloon has a sort of coarse consistency to it specifically because of the texture in the lines.

Again, I'm not saying that your sprite is bad. It's a really good sprite. I'm just saying that, from my point of view, as somebody who isn't really trained to spot every imperfection in a sprite, I found his aesthetically pleasing in one way and yours aesthetically pleasing in another way. As much as everything that you've said certainly has good points, I'm just giving my opinion on it.

It's just that he HASN'T avoided AA, he's put it in some places and not put it in others... and some areas have heavy AA...

As far as the texture, I think I understand what you mean now. I still think it would look better without the random dark pixels.


Yeah, well, I'm nit-picky.

They're both good, guy, let it go. Your sprite is really really good, don't get me wrong, but so is Lizard's. Yours looks practically like a photo or handpainted or something, that's how technically impressive it is. But Lizard's has a unique personality.

Lizard: Damnit guy you are too good, go make a game or something. Stop showing off to the PW kids.

I used AA where it broke up sharp lines and made them smoother, not where it smoothed out corners and such.
Your edits are nice and all MLC, but they just aren't the steam-iron tech thing I was aiming for.

edit: YOU MADE ME DO THIS

I actually never added any colors to the airship, I found my darkest color for the metal at the little bars on the windows. I'd recommend splashing some of that color on, since I think it still has contrast issues.

The extra details are nice though. :3

It won't be used on a white background though, so it'll work a bit better.
I know you didn't add any colors, but the darkest color there I don' really want to use :3

I, personally, am certainly happier with the balloon itself.

And if you really don't want to change the contrast, that's fine I guess. (I'll just cry myself to sleep tonight, no worries.)

Here's yer blasted contrast >:C

edit: ...

I really don't know which I like best of the two serious ones...

<3


PIXEL HUT!
Fresh pixels brought straight to your front door!


GIANT TURTLE BOSS WITH EXTRA EDIT:
->

Looks a bit too sketchy and non-pixely.

Like with most of my larger art I drew many portions with the brush tool before moving on to the pencil tool, so that might explain the sketchyness.

Also, I like to think I'm good at AA, and I wasn't exactly aiming for pixelly.

It looks sketchy on pixel level :/

Well, what do you mean exactly?

AMAZING STUFF IS AMAZING

Seriously, epic winnage.

EDIT: You fokkin' ninjas, I was going to be the first to comment it! D:<

Not enough attention on pixel level or on the highlights.
You also have these random scribbles on it.